Railway signaling or train control.



F. VV. PRHNTICE. RAILWAY SIGNALING 0R TRAIN CONTROL.

APPLICATIOY FILED MAR.27| 1911.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

UNITED STAT@ PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK WYATT PRENTICE, 0F TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PERRY-PRENTICE ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

RAILWAY SIGNALING 0R TRAIN CONTROL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. PRENTICE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city of Toronto, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signaling or Train Control, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to railway signaling systems in which a generator of Hertzian waves is employed controlled by conditions ol safety to propagate siich waves and by conditions oi danger to .suspend the propagation of such waves and in which means are provided at the place at which warning is `given to indicate the presence or absence ot such oscillations.

The object ot' my lnescut invention is to devise reliable apparatus for the practical operation ot' such a system, particularly to provide a thoroughly reliable receiving apparatus, and to provide means whereby a train proceeding cautiously under danger signals will not again receive indications of safety on moving out of the block in which it received its warning into the next block in which another train may be still located. l attain these objects and others which will hereinafter appear by means of the constructions hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a diagranunatical view showi ing the track circuits of my system. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the train circuits of my system. Fig. 3 is a detail of the coherer in transverse and in longitudinal scction. Fig. 4 is. an end view of the motor for oscillating the coherer.

ln the drawings. like figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the differcnt figures.

In describing this system it will be best to first describe the train circuits as the function of parts ,of the track circuits will be best understood after an understanding has been obtained of the train circuits.

(lne of the prime objects of the present invention is to kccp a coherer in constant cscillatcry rotary lnovcment at thc same timfI permittin; sutiicicnt dwell at the end l` its movement in one direction to give sul'- nt time for the metallic particles in the coherer to properly cohere. l accomplish this by the use of one or more relays. one being shown in the drawings and lettered as This relay is so wound that when the circuit through it is broken it will hold its magnetism for an appreciable time after the break occurs. This is accomplished by winding only part of the ctn-e of the relay with wire, the remainder of the core beingr I r v yinclosed by a copper sleeve o. llns ,relay is which is suitably pivotcd and carries the arm 8 adapted to actuate the contact, linger Sl which makes and brani-1 the circuit El which include; thc tieitl win-ling lf2 motor device. l'ctwecn rh Y pi motor device an armature i l'ieing' carried by iin. shaft il;

The. eohcer 'i1-1 sho-wi as secured on sleeve 3.0%?, loose on the shaft of tu' ture and is provided with the lo. preferably of efanprcssed fiber. by mean-'s of which thc friction on the shaft may be regulated to give tbc latter the desired 'frictional driving connection with the eohercr. ly this arrangement the rotation of the armature will elevate the cohcrer, but the armature is free to run on after the coherer is stopped by contact with the stop 102., This arrangement etlectually avoids all the troubles. electrical and mechanical which result. if the armature and coherer were rigidly secured together and the former theretore caused to stop as suddenly as the latter. A stop 103 is also provided to limit the downward movement of the coherer. An arm 1Q is connected with the ceherer, being shown as secured to the sleeve to which the cohcrer 2 is connected.

One end of the circuit 6 of the relay 3 is gli llt)

connected with the contact finger 18 in the path ot the end ot the arm l2. This arm is thus adapted to make and break the circuit oi the relay 3 by being pressed against or moved away 'from the linger Fs. From this l line vented and the wlii.

fenstrmfion it follows that when the armaw ture efte'rpleee the circuit of the reloj; that .v energized, Closing the ,(-ii it of igifiingj the field, l5 et the .motor de- 'i he etinoture is promptly iotntefl and '.fruil; :if the iiret relay broken, 'not ovv-- to he listet thet the relwly holele it@ magneieni for du appreeizihle time filter its fireuitih broken, the field Circuit is not lirolien until s suiiieient time has elapsed to Cause the armature to ullv throw up the. coherer Wl-zielt remains, up till the Monture loses its :i duin. The metal particle@ o the if -1 thus. have glenty of. time to propo entiere. ln practice about one second of 'mu-'a 5 necessary for this purpose.

A weight 1B is connected to the coherer il sulicient to enlise the coherer to Von the momentum of the armafloln. The l jing of the eo- ,fzee def-coherexv'e ed also Causes to again eli the eolfterer Cireuit ize the motor and once again :llerer to the position in which enlierewte posible. New, as :i circuit threw. the eolierer is depended on to prevent ilfviniziali-'ion of signal receiving dev-V, sary to `provide means Whereinvlwfling these signal re- /f i. shall not he broken during ze :is the efvheri-.i has. its metal partiel.. l utilize for 'onstrueld suhsl'antiallv lore deserihed by Whit-h d to hold the circuits' of renewing derives elcvfed until ne the e'oli rer romaine in its nonolaf-rome. '`liie condition obtains only :t f." n meurs of 'Vue .'nodeeuon n. ves which uidieaite :t ooniprovided with :t suitably :ll wh fh carried the firm Ct.

:ore (if) which oon- T). 'The 'valve nin 1n the Whislb liorrued it' und the s,

luis mi ,ure/ofi wil valve WilV a, o5 the Attive de fr n loilger period than. utilwwl under normal conditions for This Solenoid is 33 which is adapted to engage the Contact inger 8l to open and close the Circuit 85 el? the fifth rrelay 8G. ln series With this relay is the mechanism controlling the train pipe valve hereinafter described. By this arrangement of relive the train pipe vulve eireuit .ii held el( ed until after the Whistle has: been founded no that the engineer reeeix'es :1n audible warning betere the. trein pipe \,ir-.zt,d mel the l; iu l 'ougrli io :i stnndetii hy the :tnplieution ol' the :ar brakes.

The fifth relay 86 is provided with the hinged armature S7 which carries the arm 88 which is adapted to engage the Contact finger 89 to open and Close the circuit 90 of' the sixth relay 91. This relay 91 is provided with the hinged arinetnre 92 which earries the erm 93 which is adapted to engage the Contact linger let to open and Close the circuit 95 of the seventh relay 9G. This contact linger 94 tends to engage the back eontact--97 in the circuit 98 suitably connected with the circuit 85 of the mechanism eon-v trolling the trnin pipe valve. Thus this mechanism will he energized et, such times ne the relay 96 is de'e'nergized. The relay 91") is provided with a, hinged armature 99 which Curries the erin 100 which is adapted lo engage the eontnet finger 101 to move 1t into engagement with the Contact 32. The

sp1-inf; of the finger will tend to keep it in Contact with the back Contact 33.

The pzirtielef; in the coherer are always mused to eohere h3 the action of the Hertzien Wav 'These are reeei'ved in the eoherer circuit 'through the medium of certuin enogennm either the piek-up wire 30 -or the @unnlementnl vieil-u i or uuloekin Wire f L l Y it vsnl ne noted tuut the pick-up Wlre 30 eonneeted with the Contact 32 While th 'lmloekii g; wire 551 eonneeted with the contfiel 13?. When the 1 -@luy 96 is energized the i ,itil 'u lll he umixitained in Contact vidi the contact il?. xo that Waves are reto the coli rer enfruil through the medium of he Wire, Sl. dien the armature 1s relixoni'zeeted te the :n shown, in the drawings the Contact hn er lfll will. h'v ite natural spring. break eenfaet with the. Contact 32 and will come into contact with the contact 33, so that v im. muv oe reeeiverl l1y.the eoherer eiri the medium of the unlocking f led into the eoherer circuit Wl :rl: hetero The purmert is as followscouduuns of safety Waves the medium of the L Under normal revolved through und the eollere'r made confl'uetlie, inlmedi-iti@r :after its le-CoherenCe ved. through llie pitk-up wire 30 and led through the operation of the motor mechanism. No waves under this condition will be received through the unlockinv wire 31. Once, however, the pick-up Wire Fails to receive the waves, through the cessation of their generation, the apparatus assumes the position shown in the drawing when Waves can no longer be received through the medium of the pick-up wire but only through the medium ot' the unlocking wire. This enables me to provide a safeguard, the neces sity of which will appear after a consideration of the track diagram.

Referring to Fig. 1, 34 and 35 represent the double tracks of a railway line. These are divided into blocks, the rails in each block being insulated from one another, as indicated at 36. In each block a circuit 37 is provided, which includes the rails foriniug the track and a suitable source of energy such as 3Q. A relay 39 is included in the circuit and adapted to make and break a connection between the Wave wire 40 and the secondary circuit of the oscillator 41, which is of ordinary construction. The primary circuit of the oscillator energized through the medium of the alternating current mains 42. which will supply the cecillator of each block. The construction through which the relay 39 controls the connection between the wave wire lll and the oscillator is as follows: A wire 43 is electrically connected with the rocking armaturc 44 of the relay, and this armature is adapted to engage the contact if) in electrical connection with the secondary circuit of the oscillator'. lt will be noted that an auxiliary unlocking wave wire 45 is laterally otl'set relative to the wave` wire 4() and extends substantially parallel thereto for a short distance at one end of the block. This unlocking wave wire is connected l-1v the wire 4G, with the armature 44, and the second contact 50 is preferably provided whereby the wire ,46, and consequently the unlocking wave wire 45, may be brought into electrical connection with the secondary circuit of the oscillator. From this constructionit will be seen that when the train enters the block that the track circuit 3T-is short eircuited, the relay E19 is consequently (le-magnetizcd and its` armature drops away, thus breaking the Vconnection between the oscillator and the Vwave wires of the block behind. Any train then entering the block behind, While the other train is in the block ahead, will receive no oscilhtions, consequently the Warning whistle is sounded and its train pipe valve opened. If the engineer elects to proceed, he may do so, as hereinafter described, With the Warning constantly sounding. supposing he full purpose of which will now appear) again receive oscillations and might then proceed at full speed and run into the train ahead. The provision to which I have rcferred the un1ockin; r wave wire 45 of the track circuit and the unlockingr wire 31 of the train circuit. These are so arranged that the pick-up wire will receiveV Waves from the wave wire, while they unlocking;` wire and unlocking 'ave wire, are suiiiciently displaced laterally to cooperate only with one another, so that the unlockingr wire will receive Waves only from the unloekin..l` Wave wire. As already stated. as soon as the train -ceased to rect-ire oscillatirmst, the receiving apparatus was` conditioned to receive only through the unlocking wire. consequenily when the train lcf't the block in which it received comuninit-ations ot' dan ger and entered the next block` it would not receive any waves from the wave wire but would have to proceed cautiously until it reached the unlocking wave wire oi the second block, consequently if the tirst train was stalled in this block. the second train could only approach it very slowly and uuder` perfect control. It will be noted that as soon as an energized unlocking wave wire is rlachcd the train system picks up the wave again and the normal condition is re stored.` the system being again adapted to pick up waves from the main waw wires. This provision of the unlocking wave wire in the track circuit and the unlocking wire in the train circuit ot' the utmost` iinpor tance, as it absolutely preicnts afiy indications of safety being received under the circumstances hercinbet'or': referred to.

As the system shown in a doublr le system, track circuits 5l are provided Vfor the second track similar in every respect to ilu track circuits 3T of the first track. Tho" track circuits 51 include relays 52 whici control the admission of waves to the www wires 53 and unlocking wave wiresv Si ot' llzc second track in a precisely siiniiar manner to that in which the relays Zifi control their circuits. lt will be noted, as arranged. that only as many oscillators are required as there are blocks, each oscillator supplying waves to-the up-track of one block and the downrack of the adjacent block.

l do not .lesire of course to limit myself to the pr-'fcisc arrangement ot' the track eircuits shown, as many variations might be made, the important point being` the arrangement of the unlocking wave wires, as shown.

I have previously referred to the incclnr nism controlling the train pipe iaive, Yl`his will be readily understood on reference to Fig. Q of the drawing/1,. 55 is an electromagnet included in the circuits h and 98, A hinged armature 5o formed as a bent lever -is provided for the electro-magnet. This ldd armature is provided with a springactuated latch 57 which is adapted to engage beneath the arm 58 formed on one part of the toggle l9, one end of which is pivoted on a stationa ary part and the other pivoted to a lever G0. 'ihis lever G0 is connected with a spindle 63 connected with n diaphragm (il located in the train pipe (r2 which represents "che ordinary train pipo of an air brake system. The spindle G3 is also connected to a suitably fulcruined lever (il which is also pivotally connected at one end with the slide valve G3 controllingI an outlet (lo to the atmosphere. it is evident that as long as the electro-nine;- net is energized that the slule valve (35 will be held closed but when the electro-magnet is denergized the slide valve will be opened by the pressure. on the diaphragm and the train pipe pres-'ure vented causing an application of the brakes. lt will be noted that thc plunger 74 of a solenoid 101 is connected with thc toggle 59. This solenoid. as hcreinafter described, enables the engineer after the train pipe pressure has been sufficiently vented to restore the toggle lo its norr'nal position and thus again close the valve (i5. The denergizing ol the elt-ctrimagnet is caused by the denezgizing of thc relay -l and, since the'following reia'fs in the series successively become llener; izfrd after the relay 4, the electri'ieinnfruet 5l, i.: subse cguently rcnergized and the ara. zurey 5P restored to its normal posioon. 'the latch 5T is thus brought into position to reineage with the arm 5S and rlzi- 'fr ngagfcnient takes place as soon as thitnginccr has, through the medium ot the #clomid and its connections hereinafter drwribed. restored the toggle to its normal position. the spring actuatrd latch 5T yielding` o allow the end ot' the arm to pass and immediately thereafter resuming its normal position below the end of the arm.

'lhe solenoid 104 is included in a circuit '1.05, one end of which is connected to the linger S9 and the other to the contact 10G which the ngcr Si? tends to engage. button lOl', or other 'itahle switch, ged in the circuit ltf within reach engineer. Thus nhen the relay S6 is und. the circuit 10. is completed at the contact lOG and may thon be manually closed at the button 107 to energize the solenoid Miet and close the train pipe valve.

The arrangement, above described permits the engineer to resume control of his train after it has been automaticaly stopped and to proceed slowly with the warning' Wl. stle on the whistle line 70 constantly soundinfr.

lt may l advisable to briefly recapitulate the series of rcs-ultiy Vfollowing troni the Cesisation.oi" wave rcccivino' bhv the train system.V

lt the interruptimu in the coherer circuit are duc only to ine normal derelict-ence of the cohercr caused by the operation of the motor device, the first relay will probably be alternately energized and denergized, but owing to the peculiar constructionalready described by which it is rendered sluggish in denergizin-g and owing to the succeeding relays being of similarconstruction, they will not break the circuits which they coutrol and no warning signal Willbqsoun'ded nor will the traip pipe valve be operated: As soon, however, as the coherer circuit is broken by its failure to receive any Waves the. relays will successively become dener` gized. The result of this 1s that first. of all a warning whistle is sounded. A second or two later the train pipe will be vented' and a second or two later than that the electr0 magnetic controlling device for the train pipe operating means will be restored to its normal position allowing the engineer to restore the train pipe valve to its normul position, as already described. if he wishes to do so. The position of the parts will remain as above outlined `until waves are again received by the system which will, ot course, as described, be through the unloekingwire 31. Allthe parts of the apparatus will then resume their ordinary working positions.

It will be understood ot' course that each circuit will be supplied with current from any suitable source `of current, such being, diagrammatically illustrated in the drawings. I also wish it to be clearly understood that any forni of relay arranged in any way to hold closed the circuit it controls an appreciable timel after its own energizing circuit. is broken. may be substituted for the specic form shown. Other forms of wave receiving devices mightalso he substituted for the coherer shown thou h l consider the Branly coherer best adapte for the purpose. This will usually be arranged as shown in Fig. 3, a hole bein formed 1n the liber block- '78 in which. are p acedy the usual metal fittings. The hole is closed by a screw ca 79 and is provided with the lugs 8O to w ich the ,wires of the coherer circuit are connect ed. -The oscillation of the coherer alter nately brings the metal filings between the lugs and tips theni out. 'I` he unlocking,- wave wire may alsoof course be used with single track railway lines.

Vhat l claim as my invention is:

l. ln the train system of a. railway control system usingr Hertzian waves the combination of a coherer; means for rocking the same to produce decoherence; a danger warning receiver; electric means controllinff said danger warning receiver; a relay con trolling the circuit of the said electric controlling means and in circuit with thenceheren` and an antenna connected with the coherer` circuit. the relay in thecoherer circuit being of a sluggish type and thus adapte ed to hold losed thc' circuit of the danger warning receive'rvan appreciable time after the coherer circuit is broken by therocking of the coherer.

2. In the train system of a railway control o system using Hertzien waves the combination of a coherer. means forv rocking the same to produce decoherence; adanger 'warning receiver; electric means controlling suid langer warning receiver; a series o1 relays the last relay controlling the circuit ci" the said electric controlling means and in. turn controlled by the preceding relay, the first being,T in circuit with the coherer; and an antenna connected with the coherer circuit, the said relays being,r of a'slusrgish type and thus adapted to hold closed the circuit 'of the danger warning receiver an appreciable time after the coherer circuit is broken by the rockingkoi' the colierer.

Inthe train system of a railway control syste-1u using Hertzian waves the combination of a train control and danger-warning system comprising acohere'r; means for agitating the coherer to o'btain (le-coherence; a signal device., electromagnetic means for .ueratingr the signal device; a train 'pipe valve; electromagnetic 'means controlling said train pipe valve; a series of relays the first in circuit with the coherer and each :3.05 cr l A lay, one relay controlling' the signal operating means, a succeeding relay being adapted when energized to close "the train-pipe valve controlling means, and asucceeding relay adapted when denergized to close the circuit of the train-pipe valve controlling means.

In arailway control system using Hert z'ian` waves a track system including a main and an auxiliary wavew'ire oll'sct relatively 'to one another a train system comprising means adapted to receive Waves from oue only of said wires atan'y giventimc; and

ins controller] by` said receiving means uflugreby" the cesition of wave-sending from main were ire conditions the receiving means to rec'ive. 'waves from the auxiliary wave Wreyi ad o'f'frorn tbe main.

,In a railway control system using Hert- 5G :gian waves :i tra-Ck system including a main and :in suxiiary wave wire offset relatively to one another a train system comprising to receive waves from one by said receivingv means .ion of wave-sending from iions the. receiving means l from the auxiliary Wave from the main, lsaid means main; and means whereby thereceiving of .trnllinv the ircuit of the next succeedinfr iras at any given time; and

waves from one only of said wires at any given time; means controlled by. said receiving mea ns whereby the cessation of wave. sending through themai-n Wave'wire conditions the receiving means toAreceive waves from the auxiliary wave wire instead of the vfaves from` the auxiliary'u'ire restoresthe 75 receiving means to its normal condition of adaptability to receive from the main wire'.

7. In a railway control system, means forgenerating Hertzien waves, a track system including a main and :1n-'auxiliary wave wire oliset Arelatively toone another; a train vsystem including'means adapted to receive waves from' one only 05v said wires at any given time; means controlled by said receiving means whereby the cessation of Wave sending through the main Wave wire conditions thereceiving means to receive Waves from the auxiliary wave Wire instead of the main; and means whereby the receiving of' waves from the auxiliary-wire restores` the receiving' means to it s normal condition of adaptability to receive from the main wire, said receiving-means including twoseparate antennm coperating each with one ofthe wave Wires. Y

8. In a railway control 'system means for generating Hertzian waves; a." track system including af main and an` auxiliary wave .Wire offset relatively to one another; the receiving` means ofa train system, including a single coherer, adapted toerece'ive waves from one only of said Wires at any given time; means whereby the cessation of wave sending through the main wire conditions the receiving means to receive waves from tbe auxiliary wave wire insteado the main; and means whereby the receiving of waves from the auxiliary wire restores the receivinfr means to its normal condition ofadaptability to receive from the main Wire, said means including two separate antennae cooperating each with one of the wave wires. Signed by me at Toronto, Canada, this 15th day of vNovember 1910.

FRANK WYATT PRENTICE.

Witnesses:

I. L. TU'rrLE, R. S. MILTON, Jr. 

